The family of a 27-year-old woman who died from cancer believe she would still be alive today had it not been for delays caused by the pandemic. Latifah King, from Leicester, started suffering from severe leg pain in October but was told by doctors it was "bad sciatica" and given painkillers. She underwent hospital tests in December when her condition worsened.
She diagnosed with epithelioid sarcoma and died seven days later earlier this month. Her family in their conversation with the BBC claimed it was the lack of opportunity to see a doctor in person in October and November that delayed an accurate diagnosis.
Her twin sister Shanika said, "They would say to you, 'You need to wait for a doctor to call you back’. "Then it's the doctor who's calling you back who determines if you're sick enough to be seen.
"So when they've seen my sister's records, they've said, 'We're not going to see you, we know you've got sciatica - here's some codeine'.
"We had to constantly badger them for information. They took biopsies but even then we were told we'd receive information on the Monday or Friday - but it never came round. It's like they got our hopes up because they told us she would go in for treatment on the Monday, for radiotherapy, but by the Saturday they turned around and said we're very sorry, her treatment's cancelled and she's got a few days to live."
